1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to final drive units for motor vehicles and is particularly although not exclusively applicable to final drive units for transverse mounted engines having a gear box and final drive unit combined in a single assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The final drive unit used in the Fiat 127 as described in the U.K. Magazine "Motor" of Apr. 17th 1971 and the final drive unit used in the Fiat 128 and 130 as described in the U.K. Magazine "Automobile Engineer" of January 1971 both support the final drive gear through a number of assembled components and at a distance from the final drive gear which can produce play or flexing of the gear resulting in variations in meshing and consequently extra gear noise.
In general in front wheel drive vehicles with transversely mounted engines, the final drive unit is usually closer to one driving wheel of the vehicle than the other. It is therefore desirable to make the driving shaft on the side closest to the driving wheel as long as possible to restrict the angular movement of that shaft.
The object of the present invention is to reduce the possibility or flexing or play in the final drive gear and also to provide an arrangement in which the driving shaft on the side of the assembly closest to a driving wheel can be made as long as possible.